Hi, I'm in year 10, live in Western Sydney and planning for tutoring for Yr 11 and HSC. There is so much information out there so I'm a bit stressed and need your help on what tutoring options should I consider going forward. I'm targeting an ATAR of 90-95 in HSC and I'm currently average in Science, Maths and English. I'm thinking of opting for tutoring for English, Maths, Physics and Chemistry and Biology in the next 2 years. Here are a few questions I had:
- Do you think I should take all subjects with one bigger tutoring provider(like Matrix) or would you pick different providers (Dr Du for Maths and Ace for Physics etc.) as I'm not aiming for a 97+ ATAR.
- I'm worried that I might be slower than other students who may be more advanced and quicker to understand. Do you guys have mates that are targeting a 90-95 ATAR in HSC that take tutoring in Yr 11 and Yr 12? (all my mates going for tutoring are targeting 97+ so I'm a bit confused)
- What are your thoughts on Online vs in campus tutoring? Online is definitely cheaper but what are the other advantages of picking online vs in campus? Also I don’t want it to take a toll on my mental health so should I go for online tutoring instead? what do other students who are targeting a 90-95 ATAR prefer?
- My parents would pay for all subjects but I know they are a bit worried about the expenses for tutoring. I just wanted to ask whether this is similar situation for you guys? And does online offer good value for money in that case?
to reply to your questions directly:
1. It's all based on personal preference. Most big tutoring places offer trial lessons, so I would give that a try and decide based on that. But keep in mind, going to bigger tutoring places does guarantee reliability (since a lot of students go) Dr du for maths is good starting place, they have a pretest and you do that to see where you are at.
2. So from my perspective, all of my friends do at least 1 tutoring continued from yr6 selective, but it's only because our school is very competitive. If you do feel like you are slower, maybe start of with a one on one private tutor tailored directly based on your pace, because if you do happen to go to a tutoring place (i.e. classes of 20 or over) and you struggle to keep up, most times the teacher can't stop for just one person if the majority of the class are doing fine.
3. Campus tutoring 100%, only do online if you feel the subject is a bit easier and you want to just consolidate your learning. You can ask teachers and engage in class discussions directly, because im guessing the online is just a video? Or is it zoom. Also you focus a lot more, but this only applies if you have a lack of self-control
4. So all different tutoring offer different prices, but what I can say is that yes, it will be expensive. Some places offer discounts if you do more than one course at their tutoring, but I don't have the exact prices ofc. Online only offer good money if you are willing to sacrifice what you could be gaining if it was in person, i.e. asking extra questions after class, etc. If you are doing okay in maths for example, and you feel like you just need to revise and touch up on some subjects, then by all means online is better. However, if you are learnning the concept for the first time, it is 100% better to go in person. Personally I current go for maths, eng and phys. Guess I jsut have to pay back my parents when I get a job because it is quite a bit.
